Valve for reversible steam-engines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

L. SGHUT'TE. VALVE FOR lREVERSIBLE. STEAM ENGINES. No. 501,965.

Patented'July 25,.193.

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` L. SCHUTTB. y Y VALVE EOE REVERSIBLE STEAM ENGINES. No. 501,965..

Patnted'Ju1y,25,"189s INVENTUR WITNESSES UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE. i

LOUIS SOHUTTE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE FOR REVERSIBLE STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 501,965, dated July 25, 1893.

Application filed J'nne 12v, 1890. Serial No. 355,223. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, LOUIS ScHU'rTE, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Valves for Reversible Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to simplify the construction of reversible reciprocatingpiston engines, and particularly to do away with the ordinarylink mechanism and its adj uncts.

In my engine the steam-distributing valve 0f the cylinder is moved bya single eccentric after the manner of an ordinary slide-valve, and the reversal of the motion is accomplished by the shifting of a valve which changes the communication of the respective steam ports from the steampipe to the exhaust pipe and from the exhaust pipe to the steam pipe. This valve is also so constructed that it may be used as a throttle valve, the exhaust ports having, at all times, a full opening, while the steam ports register with full opening at two positions only, thus allowing the valve in its intermediate positions to throttle the steam and control the speed of the engine.

I have shown my reversing and throttling valve applied to a two-cylinder engine to control the steam delivery to both cylinders, but it may be applied in the same manner to engines with a single cylinder.

Inthe accompanying drawings,-Figure l is an elevation partly in section showing the application of my improvement tothe doublecylinder engine, a portion of one of the cylinders, a duplicate of the other, being broken away. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 4. Fig. 4 is a cross-.section on the line 4 4. of Figs. l, 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a view of the reversing valve and adjacent parts, the lid or covering being removed to expose the internal parts to View. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is an axial section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a faceV view of the reversing valve. Fig. 9 is a side view of the same. Fig. l0 is a cross-section of the same on the line 7-7 of Figs. 6 and S. Fig. ll is a cross-section of the same on the line 6--6 of Figs. 8 and l0.

Fig. 12 is a bottom plan view of the slide valve.

Referring to Figs. lvto 4, A represents a steam supply-pipe, and B, an exhaust pipe, both permanently connected with a cylindrical valve-casing, C, from which branch pipes, A and B', lead to the ends 'of two steam cylinders D and D; each of these branch pipes being divided into a live steam port d3 and an exhaust steam port, d4, as seen in Fig. 6. Each ot the cylinders will contain a reciprocating piston, E, connected by a pitman with the crank-shaft of the engine. v

As regards the pistons, the crank-shaft, the crank-shaft connections and the eccentric for operating the steam-distributing slide-valve, they may all be of ordinary construction and arrangement, and as they have no special relation to the present invention it is deemed unnecessary to further illustrate or describe them herein.

Each cylinder is provided with two steaml ports d and d', leading from its opposite ends outward through its side at a short distance from each other, and is also provided with an intermediate port, d2, which communicates at one end with a port, d3, leading to the end of the cylinder. A port, d4, leading inward through the end ot the cylinder opens outward through its side at the middle. The outer. face of the cylinder through which the several ports open as stated, receives a slide valve, F, of the form commonly known as a double D-valve, having at its middle a port, f, and near opposite edges two ports f and j"2 both of which communicate with aport, f3, lying at one side of the valve,and extending in the direction in which the valve reciprocates. As the Valve Ymoves to and fro its central port f connects the" end ports d and d alternately with the central port d2, and through the latter with the port cl3 leading to the end of the cylinder. The side port f3 of the valve is at all times in communication with the port d4 leading to the outer end of the cylinder, and, as the valve reciprocates, its ports f and f 2, communicating alternately with the ports d and cl', thereby establish communication between the said port d4 and the inner ends of the cylinder. If live steam be admitted through the port d3, as indicated by the solid arrows in the various figures, the

live steam will be admitted through the port f, of the valve to the two ends ofthe cylinder alternately, and the steam exhausted from the ends of the cylinder through the ports d d', to the ports f f2, of the valve, and thence through the valve port f3, to the port d4. The reciprocation of the valve will cause the steam to be admitted to and exhausted from the opposite ends of the cylinder alternately in the ordinary manner. If, however, the course of the steam through the ports cl3 and d4 be reversed, that is to say, live steam be admitted through the port d4, instead of the port cl3, the live steam will nd its way into the ends of the cylinder through the ports d4,f3, f2, f', and d d', while the exhaust will escape through ports d CZ', f, d2 and d3, thus reversing the motion of the engine. y

Having now described the manner in which the reversal of the steam course through ports cl3 and (Z4 will eect the reversalof the engine I will proceed to describe my reversing valvey by which the course of the steam through said ports is'controlled and reversed.

The stealn supply pipe A delivers live steam from the boiler into the outer part ofv the casing, while the exhaust steam-pipe B, communicates with a chamber, c, centrally` formed in the casing. The ports d3 d4 of the respective engine cylinders open into the casing, outside of the central chamber, at the points shown, through the seat of a rotary conical valve, I-I. This valve, in the form of i a hollow cone, is provided with the two ports` h h therethrough from front to back, and also with a transverse port or passage, h', which` opens at its two ends through the face of the valve, while at the center it opens into the central chamber c, leading to the exhaust.

The valve is controlled by a rotary spindle, I, passing through a gland on the casing, with an operating handle, t', on its outer end, and

' a T-head on its inner end to enter a groove;

in the valve. To prevent the valve from binding-on its seat an adjustable central sustaining screw, J, may be inserted through the casing against the inner or under face of the valve as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

When the valve stands in the position shown in the various figures it directs the live steam through its ports h h to the cylin-v der ports cl3, and the steam flows in the course indicated by the solid arrows: while the ex, haust steam flowing in the course indicated by the dotted arrows, escapes from ports d4, through port 7L', of the valve, and the central chamber c, to pipe B. By giving the valve a fourth of a revolution the course of the steam therethrough will be reversed, that is to say, its ports h h, will admit live steam to cylinder ports d4, while exhaust steam will escape through cylinder ports d3, valve-port h', and central chamber c to pipe B,thus causing the engine to run in the opposite direction from that just pursued. When the valve is in an intermediate position, its inlet ports h stand over a solid portion of the seat, the inflow ot' steam is stopped and the motion of the engine arrested. By gradually turning the valve the admission of steam may be graduated at will and the speed of the engine thus controlled. The ends of the exhaust steam vport h', are wider than the underlying ports as shown in Figs. 5 and 8, so that the exhaust steam is given a free outlet whenever the inlet ports are opened in the least.

While I prefer to use a valve in conical 'form it is to be understood that it may be modified in form at will provided it is provided with the ports and arranged to operate in a manner substantially such as described.

The substance of my invention vin this regard lies in the provision of a valve for reversing the connection of the supply and exhaust pipes with two ports leading to the valve of the engine cylinder.

In order to prevent the engine valve from rising from its seat when live steam is admitted thereunder, I provide for the maintenance of steam pressure on its back either by admitting steam into the valve chest through branch pipes-X, from the main steam pipe, or by forming the slide-valve with passages l and 2, provided respectively with check valves 3 and 4.

Having thus described my invention, what `I claim is- In a reciprocating steam engine the combination with the cylinder, its valve chamber and valve, and with the steam supply pipe, of a branch steam pipe communicating 'with the valve chamber exteriorly ofthe valve and a .valved opening through the body of the valve from the interior to the exterior thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 26th day of May, 1890, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

LOUIS SCHUTTE.

Vitnesses:

DANIEL W. HILDRETH, MAURICE F. SPILLIN.

IOO 

